Valerie first, daylight second

Valerie Vili celebrates breaking the Commonwealth record. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Valerie Vili gave no one else a chance as she claimed shot put gold at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last night.

From the time she stepped in the circle as the first thrower of the 12 competitors and unleashed her 18.95m opener, the contest was as good as over.

The hottest of hot favourites at these Games, Vili delivered.

Her second effort, a handy 19.66m, wiped out Australian Gael Martin's 20-year-old Games record of 19.00m and any faint hopes her rivals might have entertained.

Vili was shy of her 20.30m best but was not bothered.

She hit the 19m mark with two other attempts but stepped out, not bothering to have them measured. She managed a second-best 19.51m with her penultimate throw to confirm her class.

Second-placed Vivian Chukwumeka (Nigeria) produced her best - 18.25m in the first round - and comfortably took silver ahead of Cleopatra Borel-Brown (Trinidad) who managed a distant 17.87m.

The Nigerian won in Manchester four years ago with 17.53m. Borel-Brown improved one place from the last Games to take bronze.

"It came together out there," said Vili. "We wanted the Commonwealth record. I have now got every Oceania record.

"We would have liked 20m but in the end I did all I had to - win a gold medal for New Zealand. It was an enjoyment to be out there."

Vili appeared relaxed, bouncing around between throws and once taking time for a quick word with coach Kirsten Hellier.

Asked what had been said between the pair, Vili, with an impish smile, said: "If I told you that I would have to kill you."

Kirsten had said, however, it was a simple word or two about technique.

Vili, who at all times competes in memory of her late mother, said that she had imagined her mother was with her and that she was thinking of her as she looked skywards.

"The four years [since Manchester] have gone very quickly," she said. "It will be good standing on the dais one step up from Vivian this time."

Vili, who had the first and last throws of the competition, said she had not been particularly motivated by New Zealand's paltry gold medal tally in Melbourne.

"Everyone comes to do their best," said Vili, adding that she had not talked to dethroned discus champion Beatrice Faumuina since she had finished fourth on Tuesday night.

Hellier, a former Games javelin thrower, was the first to congratulate her star pupil.

"It was not too bad," Hellier said after the victory was confirmed when Chukwumeka managed only 17.98m with her last attempt.

"Once she threw 19.66 it was going to be hard for the rest. But it's not over until it's over.

"Her first round throw was enough to win. It's important to get a big one out early and put the pressure on your opponents. She did that."